--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate…" description: "\"Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted by a woman upon, first of all, herself.\" — Adrienne Rich" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png" --- # Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted… ![“Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted by a woman upon, first of all, herself.” quote by Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png) > “Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted by a woman upon, first of all, herself.” [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Frames abortion as a form of self‑directed violence, highlighting bodily autonomy. **In simple terms:** Abortion is a violent act against oneself. Key Takeaway Recognize the complexity of reproductive choices. Themes autonomy violence gender ethics Mood critical serious Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - healthcare policy - personal decision making - activism Key Concepts bodily sovereignty feminist theory Questions to Reflect On - What societal factors influence this view? - How can we support nuanced reproductive rights discussions? A Different Perspective Simplifies a nuanced issue to violence alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortion Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion-violence-2893520/) [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Desperate Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate-violence-3067788/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Inflicted Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inflicted-woman-6155987/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Inflicted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-inflicted-3436660/) ## Related quotes > [Typically, we see an upsurge in anti-abortion violence . . . when the anti-abortion movement kind of thinks it was on the verge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-goldberg/typically-we-see-an-upsurge-in-anti-abortion-violence-when-the-anti/) [Michelle Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-goldberg/) > [I only escaped from Tibet because I feared my people would resort to desperate violence if the Chinese took me as their prisoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-only-escaped-from-tibet-because-i-feared-my-people-would-resort-to/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We don't need to respond with desperate violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-don-t-need-to-respond-with-desperate-violence/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“It must be said here that ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ is not an attribute of patriotism, but of deep patriarchy. Extreme mother-love is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romila-thapar/it-must-be-said-here-that-bharat-mata-ki-jai-is-not-an-attribute-of/) [Romila Thapar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romila-thapar/) > [My mind boggles at the amount of violence inflicted upon children in today's society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/my-mind-boggles-at-the-amount-of-violence-inflicted-upon-children-in/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [Violence must be inflicted once for all; people will then forget what it tastes like and so be less resentful. 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Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) ## More by Adrienne Rich > [Only to have a grief equal to all these tears!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/only-to-have-a-grief-equal-to-all-these-tears/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [What I search for continuously in my art is adequate language, language I hope can stand beyond any particular occasion. 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There was a whole political movement asking such questions and others I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-women-s-movement-appeared-at-a-very-crucial-moment-in-my-life/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The word revolution itself has become not only a dead relic of Leftism, but a key to the deadendedness of male politics: the revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-word-revolution-itself-has-become-not-only-a-dead-relic-of/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The decision to feed the world is the real decision. No revolution has chosen it. For that choice requires that women shall be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-decision-to-feed-the-world-is-the-real-decision-no-revolution-has/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The necessity of poetry has to be stated over and over, but only to those who have reason to fear its power, or those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-necessity-of-poetry-has-to-be-stated-over-and-over-but-only-to/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I think many poets, including myself, write both for the voice and for the page. I certainly write for the person alone in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/i-think-many-poets-including-myself-write-both-for-the-voice-and-for/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [If I cling to circumstances I could feel not responsible. Only she who says she did not choose, is the loser in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/if-i-cling-to-circumstances-i-could-feel-not-responsible-only-she-who/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) [Explore all 364 Adrienne Rich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“David Bereit, Founder of Forty Days for Life, points out that any abortion clinic in America should have a sign in its window that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/david-bereit-founder-of-forty-days-for-life-points-out-that-any/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm a pro-life candidate because I believe that science is proving us right every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-m-a-pro-life-candidate-because-i-believe-that-science-is-proving-us/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion…has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-noticed-that-everyone-who-is-for-abortion-has-been-born/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [“The Vatican won't prosecute pedophile priests but I decide I'm not ready for motherhood and it's condemnation for me? 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted by a woman upon, first of all, herself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adrienne Rich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-violence-inflicted-by-a-woman/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abortion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-violence-inflicted-by-a-woman/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e96/adrienne-rich-803_abortion_abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-vi_1613885.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate violence inflicted by a woman upon, first of all, herself.” — Adrienne Rich", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adrienne Rich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Abortion is violence; a deep, desperate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-violence-inflicted-by-a-woman/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/abortion-is-violence-a-deep-desperate-violence-inflicted-by-a-woman/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```